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Monday, 13 May 2013

GOVERNOR JACK RANGUMA'S DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR KISUMU COUNTY

GOVERNOR JACK RANGUMA'S DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR KISUMU COUNTY {A speech by hon Rangumu}

Kisumu County, this is what we are Doing….

Our plans for the county are immense. Food security for all, good health and education. This we plan to achieve through promoting agriculture, industrialization, tourism, and technology.

AGRICULTURE

With regards to agriculture, we will strive to improve our output ...through irrigation, proper marketing of our produce and value addition. We have met with various investors and donor communities who are willing to invest in such initiatives. The embassy of Israel is particularly keen on this venture.

INDUSTRIALIZATION

With regards to industrialization, we have an advantage of proximity to markets in the East African region. We will entice investors by opening up the transport potential on Lake Victoria. This will be an easy and cheaper way of exporting goods to Uganda, Rwanda, Congo, Burundi and Tanzania. We will take advantage of this opportunity and market Kisumu as the industrial hub for East Africa. We will also revive the ailing and the collapsed industries and improve their capacities to produce and market. For instance, we will make sure that we change the focus of the sugar industry from relying on sugar as a major product to a by-product. Because of the threat of their collapse, should we leave them like that by the fall of 2014 when the COMESA safeguard will be lifted, we will make sugar a speculative item. We hope to major in the production of ethanol, power, pulp and fertilizer. That way we will make our sugar a cheap by-product that we use for speculation and warding off unnecessary competition on our market front. Indeed, many investors have shown interest in this field and we are at a point of negotiating the final aspects which, we will let you know as soon as we have a final word.

TOURISM

As far as tourism is concerned, we hope to market Kisumu as the centre of the Western circuit. Kisumu has unique features that would be attractive to tourist. Lake Victoria is the second largest fresh water Lake in the world and is endowed with unique aquaculture. Take for example, the sitatunga, a unique animal that is found only on the Lakeside. The lakefront would provide an enviable environment for leisure and recreation. Also, watersports has been a venture that is highly favoured in our plan. We are working on the modalities of ensuring that the lake is safe for such an enterprise, and as we stand right now, the Kenya Maritime Authority is helping us mark out the Lake and provide both logistical support as well as the desired expertise to ensure success with our dream. The dry dock is the second of the only two in East Africa, and we hope to make good use of it. Our final details will come out as soon as the physical planning is over. Meanwhile we have made significant advancement in our talks with potential investors and donors. The government of Netherlands is particularly keen on ensuring the tourism venture takes of. We have had numerous consultative meetings with the stakeholders in this sector, and we can assure you that they all are fully on board.

FISHING INDUSTRY

The fishing industry is a special concern for all of us. We hope to deal with the Water Hyacinth menace once and for all. Plans are underway to take away the plant through a combination of methods – biological, manual and mechanical. On 18th May, the Governor will preside over the launching of a Water Master that will be commissioned into the Lake to harvest the water hyacinth and remove it from the Lake in a hundred days. The Kenya Maritime Authority together with the Governor is spearheading this venture. Moreover, the LVEMP is spearheading the purchase of a massive Water Hyacinth Harvester, which will be placed permanently in the Lake to take care of the situation. The removal of the Hyacinth will clear the way for Lake transport, water sports and even more importantly deep-sea fishing. It will allow for the return of our favorite species – tilapia. In preparation for this anticipated overflow of fish supply, we have made arrangements to secure solar powered coolers for storing the fish. In the long run, we will build our own processing plants and strong fishermen owned cooperatives to spearhead the growth of the industry. We also have plans to introduce cage fishing and general fish farming.

WASTE DISPOSAL

Kisumu is a beautiful city whose image is marred by the gabbage that is carelessly disposed off by the roadside. We are researching on the best ways to dispose off the gabbage from our households and industries. This is high on our priority list and in the shortest time possible, we will be seeing the results. To deal with irresponsible waste disposal from industries, we are seeking to sponsor the enactment of a by-law that will put stringent measures, including but not limited to paying huge fines for any violations. We would also love to encourage investors and residents to paint their premises and residential places to give the town a facelift.

SUPPLY OF CLEAN WATER & FLOODING

We are also keen on ensuring that there is clean and safe drinking water for all. We have established that the flooding that affects our people in Nyando, Muhoroni, Kisumu East and Nyakach are a result of rainwater from the neighbouring counties in the Rift Valley, especially Kericho. To mitigate the flooding menace, we have discovered an idea that will turn misfortune into a paradise moment. The Governor of Kericho has agreed to work with us in building a dam that will collect the rainwater before it gets to the flooding zones. This water will be stored for the purposes of irrigation, production of hydropower and even for our domestic consumption. We have also joined LVEMP in the environmental project of cleaning the rivers upstream. This is a way of reducing pollution into the lake. It will also ensure our water catchment is secure. Meanwhile, we have finalized plans with a Japanese organization to clean the water from Lake Victoria by building canals which, draw water from the Lake, cleans them up through a technology that they are advancing, distributing the water for domestic use, then purifying and returning the clean water into the Lake. So far, a site in Osiri, Nduru and Dunga have been identifies and approved. If the pilot project proves successful, we will roll it all over the county. We will increase the volume of water that is harvested from Kajulu so that is moves from 5% to 50% provider of water into the city of Kisumu. This will reduce the reliance on Lake water, which is very expensive to maintain, as the water must be pumped uphill before redistribution back into the city. Our ultimate plan is provide two lines of piped water. As is done in Israel, one pipe will be labeled blue and another red. The former will be safe drinking water and the later for irrigation. Again, you will be posted on the developments.

INSECURITY

To cub insecurity, we have completed our plans to provide Solar Street lighting for all the major streets in Kisumu. We will extend the program to the informal areas of settlements, including Manyatta and Nyalenda. Ultimately, what will curb insecurity is the provision of employment. We hope that the plans for agriculture, industrialization, technology and tourism will create enough wealth and employment for all members of the county.

Very soon we will be launching public sensitization program on these developments, which will show you how you too can jump on board. We want to incorporate every one, you included. If you have questions, please write to us at: admin@jackranguma.com. You may also post your concerns to the Complaints desks at the City Hall and at the Governor’s Office.

Thank you very much for your patience and support in all these. We look forward to great moments of positive interactions even as we forge ahead to build our County.See More